United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday formally proposed slashing the core U.N. budget for next year by $577 million and cutting more than 18% of jobs.
Guterres is seeking ways to improve efficiency and cut costs as the world body turns 80 this year amid a cash crisis, driven largely by U.S. arrears.
“We ended 2024 with $760 million in arrears, of which $709 million is still outstanding from 2024. We have also not received $877 million of 2025 dues and so thus, arrears now stand at $1,586 million,” Guterres told the 193-member U.N. General Assembly budget committee.
He proposed a core budget of $3.238 billion for 2026, a reduction of 15% compared with this year. That budget includes political, humanitarian, disarmament, economic, social affairs and communications work. Contributions to most U.N. agencies, funds and programs – such as the World Food Programme and children’s group UNICEF – are voluntary.
